Second Lives
by shanejayell
Summary: Kagome's class trip leads to a shoking discovery... Kikyo wasn't the only one reincarnated.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from InuYasha, they all belong to their creator Rumiko Takahashi. I'm only borrowing a few of them for a while.

InuYasha: Second Lives

Kagome Hhigurashi didn't like coincidences, in her experience they were rarely good. 'Coincidence' often seemed to hide deeper connections between people and events and after all the times she had helped fight Naraku she had time and again seen coincidences bite her and InuYasha in the butt.

So it was fair to say that Kagome was more than a bit disturbed when she found out that her class trip this year was to an archeological site, located roughly where she remembered Sango's village was in the past. The bus trip from their train to the hotel was loud with conversation as Kagome wondered what they would see, her feeling of anticipation and concern as they continued on to the town itself.

Yuuka shook her head as they got off the bus, her short hair falling across her cheek as she said, "You'd think the school could have come up with a more exciting place to go for our class trip."

Ayumi brushed back her long curly hair as she squinted up at the sun. "I think it has something to do with a government history program," she suggested.

"What do you think, Kagome?" Eri wondered, her long hair as straight and neat as usual.

"Eh?" Kagome looked sheepish, startled out of her contemplation of the area around them. It was so familiar to her on one hand, the over all lay of the land echoing her memories but also different with the modern buildings off in the distance. The path their teacher was leading them on wound between piles of earth, trenches in the distance roped off where scientists presumedly studied the traces of the past.

Yuka sighed, "Kagome, stop spacing out please."

Kagime blushed as she sighed, "Sorry." Silently she thought to herself, 'How can I explain that I wasn't spacing out, that I was remembering visiting here before?'

"What do you think of this being our class trip?" Eri asked Kagome again.

"I think," Kagome hesitated a moment searching for the right words, "it could be interesting."

"I'm very impressed," Hojo cheerfully noted, the young man following close behind.

Ayumi covertly rolled her eyes as Yuka, Eri and Kagome fought back their giggles at the badly besotted boy. For months now he had politely pursued Kagome but the girl barely registered his presence. It was getting kind of pitiful, really.

"All right, it's time to form up students," their teacher called out as she continued, "our guide is waiting!"

The boyish young woman standing beside their teacher wasn't quite what Kagome had been expecting. She was tall, with short hair and casual clothes, dark colored and now dusty from the site. Her hands were marked by hard work but her eyes had a amused, almost roguish quality to them.

"My name is Mutsumi Yuhino," she smiled at them cheerfully, "and I'm the junior archeologist on the site." She gave them a charming smile, "But that doesn't I don't know what I'm doing because I'm junior, it just means they can spare me the most today."

With a slight blush Ayumi leaned close to Yuka and whispered, "She's kind of handsome, isn't she?"

Softly Yuka conceded, "Yeah, kind of."

Leading them through carefully fenced of areas of the dig Mutsumi cheerfully explained, "The site was first discovered when a city works crew was clearing a section of forest. They stumbled over a piece of what was the fortified town's outer wall, someone realized it was old and they called the experts in."

AS she walked Mutsumi explained the process of how the university had been contacted, the site surveyed and a team was organized. With lively gestured she pointed out where they thought the chief had probably lived, the homes set around it and the forge they had unearthed.

"So what kind of town was it?" Eri asked.

"We don't know," Mutsumi admitted, "it doesn't fit the model for communities of that era. They don't seem to have worked fields or raised cattle, they acquired their food and supplies by trade.. But trading what we don't know."

'They traded their demon hunting services,' Kagime thought, but knew that answer wouldn't help much.

"Even stranger the inhabitants of the town were apparently wiped out almost all at once," Mutsumi added with some regret, "we discovered a mass grave just outside the town and there seems to be no evidence of inhabitants after that." Smiling slightly she added, "Local legends say the inhabitants were killed by demons."

'It's no legend,' Kagome thought sadly as they continued to walk through the oddly quiet archeological dig.

"You'll notice not many people are working in the trenches today," Mutsumi said a bit apologetically, "that's because many of our staff are busy with a new discovery. Apparently a warrior's grave has been found and our tentative dating of the artifacts there shows it was dug some years after the village was destroyed/"

Kagome fought back a shiver at that, 'Is it Sango, I wonder? Or maybe poor Kohaku?'

"Do you think we could go see?" their teacher asked excitedly. Or maybe she was excited by Mutsumi's not so subtle hand on her ass.

'A perverted woman?' Kagome thought, frowning a little as she tried to figure out who Mutsumi reminded her of.

Mutsumi thought about it then offered, "As long as you stay well back, please. We don't want to interfere with the work."

With that they left the main set of digs in and around the village and proceeded towards a roped off area a short ways away. Surrounded by archeologists the pit was being photographed, measured, items carefully unearthed and generally a hotbed of activity.

"This was a burial mound," Mutsumi revealed softly, "the figure withing was first buried, then earth was heaped up over top as a sign of respect. Inside we've begun to uncover various artifacts, including ceremonial armor and weapons."

A tough looking older woman separated herself from the other researchers and strode over, clearly looking annoyed. "Mutsumi, what did I tell you about keeping the visitors away?" she asked fiercely, her long hair tied up in a ponytail and her bangs cut straight across her forehead.

"Setsuna," Mutsumi smiled charmingly, "their teacher insisted."

"What?!" their teacher frowned at the exaggeration and blushed faintly.

Upon seeing that blush Setsuna fixed Mutsumi with a eerily familiar look, "Were you being a pervert again?"

"Would I do that?" Mutsumi said sweetly.

"Hmph." Setsuna rolled her eyes in exasperation then smiled slightly. "I suppose I should be glad you just flirt," she conceded.

Kagome looked at the two familiar figures arguing and was struck by a stunning realization. Take away the modern clothing and surroundings, sub in the garb of InuYasha's era and the two women would be perfect copies of Sango and Miroku! 'Kikyo got reincarnated in me,' she thought as she saw them talking fondly now, 'could it be they were too...?'

"Kagome, you're white as a sheet," she teacher noted worriedly.

Kagome started to tell her she was fine when things got dark... and she collapsed bonelessly to the ground.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Kagome..." a gentle voice called, "Kagome, wake up."

Weakly Kagome stirred, blinking her eyes as she looked up at a someone who was like a sister to her, "Sango?"

"No," Setsuna smiled gently, "sorry. Are you all right?"

Kagome sat up, feeling deeply embarrassed over fainting like that. "No, I'm sorry," she said, looking around what was probably a first aid tent.

"It's all right," Setsuna gave her a faintly amused look, "your friends mentioned your frail health."

"Oh," Kagome blushed, thinking of some of the ridiculous excuses her family had used to cover for her time trips, 'it's a bit of a long story."

"So, is our sleeping beauty awake?" Mutsumi asked as she stuck her head in the tent flap.

"I'm all right now," Kagome said firmly.

"I offered to give you a medicinal sponge bath," Mutsumi winked, "but Setsuna put her foot down."

Kagome couldn't help but chuckle at that as Setsuna rolled her eyes and reached out to firmly punch Mutsumi in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Mutsumi yelped then gave Setsuna puppy dog eyes as Kagome giggled.

"Just ignore this rogue," a smiling Setsuna said as she helped Kagome up.

"Dr. Coral here," Mutsumi gestured to Setsuna, "has kindly agreed to stop work for a short while so that your class can look at the site. Would you care to join us?"

Reluctant to look but unable to come up with a reasonable excuse not to Kagome nodded, "Okay."

Sensing her discomfort Setsuna tagged along as they walked back to the burial mound, a light breeze gently blowing their hair. The pit wasn't deep and still partially filled with dirt, the scientists only partially done their work. The flesh had rotted away from the figure laying there leaving only bone in very familiar looking armor, and the massive boomerang laying beside her confirmed her identity... it was Sango.

"The armor is in remarkably good shape," Mutsumi noted, "and we think that boomerang was some kind of ceremonial weapon..."

"No," Kagome found herself saying quietly, "it was thrown."

"Wha..." Mutsumi started.

Setsuna reached out to put a quieting hand on Mutsumi's arm. "What makes you say that?" she asked Kagome thoughtfully.

Kagome debated making something up, then decided to try to explain in a way that they'd understand. Kneeling down but being careful not to touch anything she pointed to one end of the boomerang, "You see here, these grooves in the bone? It's rotted away now but there was probably leather or cloth wrapped around there to provide a grip to carry and throw it."

"That could be true," Setsuna conceded after a moment, "but you'd need massive upper body strength to do that."

"I bet you could do it," Mutsumi winked, "you certainly hit me often enough." With a grin she ducked under a casual swing from Setsuna. "My point is made."

Setsuna studied the bone boomerang a few moments then smiled slightly, "I don't know if I buy your theory, Kagome, but I do like it." And with that she gave Kagome a very familiar grin.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

In the end, Kagome decided not to say anything to Setsuna and Mutsumi about her theory that they possibly were reincarnations of her friends Sango and Miroku. Not only was there no way she could prove to them that they were reincarnated, but Kagome failed to see what good it would do them. They both seemed quite happy in the here and now, and revealing the past life might spoil things for them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Setsuna smiled slightly as she curled up in the bed beside her lover. "I'm still annoyed that you brought those students over to the burial mound," she informed her.

"Even Kagome?" Mutsumi wondered.

"No," Setsuna admitted, "not her." She paused, "Did she seem... familiar to you? Almost like a old friend you hadn't seen in years?"

"Kind of," Mutsumi admitted.

"That girl is interesting," Setsuna mused after a moment, "maybe we should try to see her again."

"Sounds like a plan," Mutsumi agreed.

The End...?

Notes: This was originally going to be a InuYasha centric story involving the soul of Midoriko escaping the Shikon crystal, possessing InuYasha and taking off to try to carry out her last wish. And did I mention she changes InuYasha into a girl? lol Wisely I dropped the idea. Reincarnation in the InuYasha-verse is never entirely explained, so I felt it was all right to use it in this way. Naming the reincarnated characters was a bitch, but I decided to settle on using the same first letters of their names.


	2. Chapter 2

Second Lives

Two

The look on InuYasha's face was priceless as the white haired boy looked at her in surprise. "Reincarnated?" he repeated.

Kagome nodded as they walked through the forest towards the bone well, the black haired young woman's return route home to the twenty first century. "Both Sango and Miroku," she told him, "but they're both women."

InuYasha looked amused by the thought as the half wolf demon helped hoist her up on the wooden edge of the well, "Is the other Miroku a letch too?"

"Pretty much," Kagome agreed as she remembered how the dark haired woman had discretely groped her teacher's ass.

"Well, good luck," InuYasha took a step backward, "see you in about a day?"

"If not sooner," Kagome agreed as she leapt down into the well.

There was always a feeling of vertigo as Kagome fell down at first, then the directions seemingly reversed as she rose up into the well of her own time period. She reached the top and clambered out, looking up as the shrine's pet cat gave her a amused look from where Buyo sat on the walkway around the well building.

The sun was shining as Kagome headed out of the building towards her house, weary but eagerly awaiting the possibility of a warm bath and one of her mother's dinners. "I'm home," she called as she entered, slipping her shoes off.

"Thank goodness you're home," her mother exclaimed as she hurried in and hugged her, "I was worried the demons..."

"Demons?!" Kagome's eyes widened.

"Come on," her grim faced mother lead her through the house to the room with the TV, "it's on all the stations."

Kagome watched in shock as a grim faced newspaper reporter talked about a monster attack, the slaughtering of archeologists and fires in a nearby town, the very same town that Kagome had recently visited on a school trip. "The creatures who can only be called demons," the reporter said, "appear to have emerged from a cave nearby the archeological site. The army and police are investigating, and asking residents to stay calm and remain in their homes."

"They're not going to be able to do anything," Kagome muttered to herself, frowning fiercely. 'Is this connected to the Jewel of Four Souls?' she wondered, 'Or some legacy from Sango's village of monster hunters?'

Grandfather looked at her from where he sat nearby, "You intend to go help?"

Kagome sighed, already tired but also determined, "I don't see any other choice." She turned back to the entrance as she murmured, "But I'm going to need some help."

Several hours and a harrowing bus trip later InuYasha sighed as they got off the bus, grumbling, "I still think you should have just let me smack that lady."

"Why did I even think taking you on the bus was a good idea?" Kagome sighed, shaking her head in resignation.

Going back down the well and convincing InuYasha to come help had been the easy part, getting them to the ruins of Sango's village had been torture. On the other hand there was no way they could cycle there, and no magical means of getting there presented itself.

Adjusting the baseball cap that concealed his dog-like ears InuYasha sniffed the air. "Youkai," he said grimly, "I can smell them."

"Then let's head to the village," Kagome said as they set out, carefully hoisting the bow case over her shoulder. Since first traveling to the past she had reluctantly begun mastering the bow, and while not an expert she had become reasonably skilled with it.

The trip through town felt oddly surreal to Kagome, remembering the pristine modern town and seeing the now burning wreckage, the gory remains of monestrous creatures still laying in the street as the city recovered their dead.

"Where were the demon hunters?" InuYasha wondered as they moved to the edge of town and out to the archeological site.

"We don't have them any more," Kagome said patiently, "just army and police."

"Well," InuYasha noted as they picked their way through the now badly damaged site towards the main camp, "your army and police don't seem to do a very good job."

Kagome was tempted to yell sit at him, but he had a point. They weaved through the pits at the archeological site, heading towards the mountain behind the village where the legendary priestess had defeated the army of demons, and in the process accidentally created the Jewel of Four Souls.

Off in the distance they heard a rumble, then Kagome's eyes widened as she saw the far away shapes emerging. Slinging the bow case from her back she pulled out the weapon as she warned her companion, "They're coming!"

"Good," InuYasha gave a feral smile as they hurried forward to meet them. Drawing a bit of his own blood to coat his claws he yelled out, "Blades of blood!" Swiping his claws he sent blades of energized blood to tear through the demons, staggering them even as Kagome's arrows zipped by into other targets.

'There's not too many,' Kagome thought with relief as she drew and fired, sending arrows inscribed with harms into the demons. Her eyes widened as a familiar shape ripped through the air, then gasped as a massive bone boomerang tore through demons like paper.

"Sango?!" InuYasha blurted out in surprise as his eyes followed the boomerang's path down, then blinked as two familiar but different figures appeared on a rise. 'Kagome's right.' he thought wryly, 'they DO look alike.'

Dr. Setsuna Coral caught the boomerang awkwardly but with a growing ease, as if each tile she did it old memories and skills returned to her. Her long black hair was tied back in a pony-tail while her jeans and leather jacket provided mobility and some degree of armor too.

Beside her Mutsumi Yuhino wielded a improvised staff, the taller young woman a bit battered but still unbowed by the conflict. Her black clothes were dusty and her face smudged with dirt, but she still managed a roguish charm even as she flattened any of the demons that got near. It wasn't long before the demons retreated, and panting they headed towards where Kagome and InuYasha were.

"Miss Hhigurashi," Setsuna said thoughtfully as the two groups met, "why am I not surprised to find you here?"

"Ma'am," Kagome smiled back a bit sheepishly, "it's a bit of a long story."

"I bet it is," Mutsumi agreed, looking at InuYasha with raised eyebrows as he noticed the young man's dog ears and other odd traits.

"We don't have time for this," InuYasha said curtly, "where did these things come from and do you know why?"

Setsuna gave InuYasha a look but answered, "Shortly before the... things attacked, we sent a team in to explore the caves."

Kagome frowned as she looked at InuYasha and asked, "Do you think something was sealed in the cave?"

"It would fit," InuYasha nodded slightly. He smiled a bit too eagerly, "We'll need to go in there and re-seal it."

"We're coming with you," Setsuna said firmly.

"Oh no you're not," InuYasha said rudely, "I'll have a hard enough time just protecting Kagome much less..."

"Protecting?" Kagome growled, "SIT, boy!" With a startled cry the necklace of sacred beads InuYasha wore drove him head first into the turf. Looking up at Setsuna Kagome simply asked her, "Why?"

Setsuna hesitated, "Well, two reasons. Firstly, that is a historical treasure trove, and Mutsumi can at least witness it. Secondly, some of my associates may have unleashed the demons, it seems we have a responsibility to help stop them."

"Besides," Mutsumi added, "one of my areas of interest is ancient Japanese folklore. You might need me to help restore whatever sealed the demons up."

"It'll be dangerous," Kagome cautioned.

Setsuna hefted the bone boomerang that had once belonged to Sango, her past self, as she answered, "I think we can manage."

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Second Lives

Three

Kagome felt a eerie familiarity as they advanced on the cave, seeing InuYasha leading the way and Setsuna and Mutsumi at her side. The two women weren't the same as Sango and Miroku, but they felt similar and that was a comfort to her, along with the flashlights and other gear they had salvaged from the camp. But unlike past trips there was a ominous air about the place, as if something frightening were about to happen again.

The opening of the cave was a bit smoother than Kagome remembered, the stones having been scoured by centuries of wind and rain. Within was dark but off in the distance there was a light, a eerie glow coming from somewhere in the depths of the earth.

"No musty smell," Setsuna noted quietly, "the air's fresh?"

Mutsumi looked around them eagerly, her eyes taking in all the details. "Do you see that carving?" she pointed, "It's consistent with the warring states period..."

"Yeah, so?" InuYasha huffed.

"It's a warning," Mutsumi frowned as she bent forward to read, "do not break the seals, or disaster will befall you."

"That's pretty clear," Kagome winced, guessing that the earlier archeological team had likely done just that.

"Could you check if I read it correctly, Miss Kagome?" Mutsumi asked from where she knelt by the inscription.

"Sure, I..." Kagome stepped forward and bent a bit, only to feel Mutsumi pat her ass!

"Oooh, nice..." she purred, Mutsumi smirking slightly.

"Mutsumi!" Setsuna smacked her across the head as a blushing Kagome leapt back.

"Letch!" Kagome yelped, her cheeks fiery red.

"Sorry," Mutsumi got up, winking, "I just couldn't resist."

"You'd better resist," InuYasha growled, the white haired dog-demon advancing on her dangerously "or I'll..."

Setsuna sighed even as she said, "She didn't mean it, sir." She gave Mutsumi a look, "Besides, I'll take care of punishing her later."

Kagome almost laughed at how pale Mutsumi went at that threat. Clearing her throat she said, "We should get moving."

Soon they reached the petrified form of Midoriko and the fused demon Magatsushi, both Setsuna and Mutsumi gazing in awe at the figure. They went around as the path continued, going deeper into the ground as the eerie light grew brighter.

"She's beautiful," Setsuna was heard to whisper, "but so sad, too."

The tunnel began to widen as they heard noises up ahead, the skittering of claws on stone providing a disturbing counterpart to the voices. Gesturing them to be silent InuYasha led them closer, eventually peering around a tunnel opening into a larger chamber.

They looked human at first glance, but the way they moved was almost alien, their eyes shining as they stood in front of the end of the tunnel. Where the rock cracked a green light shone forth, reminding one of decaying flesh and rotting plants, the opposite of life giving. As the light pulsed it congealed, eventually forming a small, demonic creature that crawled away to wait with others of it's time.

"We must crack the barrier more," the taller, lanky figure hissed like a snake, "this is taking too long."

"Show me how to do it without being consumed," the female answered, her form almost catlike as she peered at the rift, "we can't touch it, it never would have even opened up without those fool humans."

Kagome sighed sadly as their thoughts were confirmed, giving a sympathetic glance to Setsuna and Mutsumi. 'I wonder if they're still...?' she thought.

"We've got to stop them before they make too many more of those things," InuYasha growled to the others quietly as they ducked away from the demons, "are you ready?"

"I think so," Kagome agreed, "got a plan?"

"Kagome and I can deal with the smaller demons," Setsuna surprised them by saying confidently, "InuYasha, you go after the leaders."

InuYasha thought about it then nodded reluctantly, "That makes some sense."

Mutsumi was frowning thoughtfully, "Try to lead them away from the rift. I think I saw fragments of scrolls and ropes nearby, it might be the remnants of a spell of some kind."

"Can you put it back together?" Kagome asked her.

"I can try," Mutsumi said honestly.

"Then let's do this," Kagome took a deep breath, unslinging her bow from her back and notching a arrow.

InuYasha lead the charge with a snarling cry as Kagome fired arrows, sending them into the writhing mass of stunned young demons. With a grunt Setsuna sent the bone boomerang flying, scything through the stunned beasts as it returned swiftly to her hands.

"Why are you doing this?" the thin demon cringed from one of InuYasha's blows, "You're like we are!"

"I don't think so," InuYasha said as his attacks forced them away from the rift.

Mutsumi crept forward, staff in hand then swiftly began sorting through the torn pieces, putting them together like a jigsaw puzzle. Her tongue stuck out between her teeth as she worked, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around her.

Arrows shimmering with spiritual energy Kagome dispatched the last of the demons, then turned as she watched InuYasha fight. 'There's no opening,' she thought with some frustration, 'I can't fire without hitting InuYasha!'

Setsuna looked equally frustrated, then gasped as InuYasha disemboweled a demon with a single swipe of his claws. The tall one staggered back, clutching his stomach, then as InuYasha turned to face the woman Setsuna instinctively threw, a single blow from her massive weapon putting the creature out of it's pain.

"Kagome," Mutsumi called, "I need your help."

Reluctantly turning from the battle Kagome hurried over, but hesitated once she was near. "Watch the hands," she warned.

"Awww," Mutsumi sighed. She gestured to the papers arrayed in front of her, "I think I've reassembled the wards, but they need to be repaired."

"Ah..." Kagome hesitated, wracking her thoughts as she tried to think of what to do. "All right," she marshaled her spiritual power, a faint glow building around her, "let's try..."

"No!" the cat woman yelped as it leapt to stop them only to be clobbered by Setsuna even as InuYasha swiped at her exposed back.

With a burst of power Kagome channeled her spiritual power into the broken seals, triggering them once more. Swirling in midair they swept over the oozing crack in the cave, shutting the flow of otherworldly energy down and sealing it up once more. The eerie light faded swiftly, the final demon fleeing as they tried to get the flashlights working once more.

"That was... incredible," Mutsumi admitted as they emerged once more into the daylight, the ominous feeling that had hung over the site now gone.

"And strange," Setsuna conceded as the older woman gave Kagome a piercing look. Thoughtfully she said as she hefted the massive boomerang, "It shouldn't have been possible for me to master this so quickly..."

"Well...," Kagome smiled weakly.

Mutsumi nodded as she also looked at InuYasha and Kagome, "And while I know my stuff, this was a bit beyond me. How did this all happen?"

Kagome smiled weakly, "Ah..."

InuYasha got tired of that pretty quickly and said, "It's because you're both reincarnates."

Both Setsuna and Mutsumi looked at him in surprise, "What?!"

Kagome glared at InuYasha as she sighed, "It's a long story."

End

Notes: This may not be the ABSOLUTE end, as I find the idea of these two characters continuing to show up in the InuYasha verse amusing. We'll see if I have another good story idea with them.


	4. Omake

Second Lives

Omake!

"This is... incredible," Sango murmured as the group entered the clearing where they waited, the black haired woman looking at her twin.

"You said it," Setsuna Coral admitted, their faces almost mirroring each other. The only difference was the clothes, with Sango in a kimono while Setsuna wore twentieth century garb such as a t-shirt and pants.

"This is very, very strange," Miroku conceded as the priest looked over his female counterpart. There was a bit more difference, Mutsumi's face was a bit softer than Miroku's, but they could have easily passed for family.

"Now I know what I might look like as a drag king," Mutsumi admitted wryly as she looked the man over.

"Drag king?" Miroku blinked.

"Long story," Kagome jumped in, still dressed in her school uniform.

Sango looked over at Kagome curiously, "How did you bring them back to this time? I thought the Bone Eater's Well only worked for you and InuYasha?"

"We climbed in together and held hands," InuYasha said wryly, coming up behind the group in his usual garb, his white hair flowing free.

Miroku looked intrigued as he asked, "Does that mean we could visit your era too?"

Kagome visibly paled at that idea. She often had trouble with just InuYasha visiting, she didn't want to imagine what could happen if the whole crew came forward. "We can talk about that later," she said, "I think we should do something to celebrate this meeting."

Mutsumi looked at Sango and Setsuna as she grinned impishly and wiggled her eyebrows lecherously, "I have a suggestion."

Miroku's eyes widened as he grinned, "Oh yeah."

"Pervert!" Sango yelped, hitting him even as Setsuna did much the same to Mutsumi.

"They really do think alike," InuYasha said, hiding a smile.

"I was thinking that we could share a meal," Kagome sighed, wondering if this was really such a good idea.

Quietly InuYasha asked, "Why didn't we invite Shippo and the others?"

Kagome smiled wryly, "I think our two new friends had enough to deal with meeting their past selves. Besides, we can introduce them later."

Not long afterwards in a traveller's inn at a small town that was not far from the Well, the group of six sat down around the low table, the servants quickly bringing food for the infamous InuYasha and his strange companions. While the era was different the food itself was recognizably the same, and the sake flowed freely.

Sango spoke in generalities about her village to Setsuna, skating over the personal details that might hurt the warrior. Setsuna herself was quite sympathetic, having heard a few details from InuYasha and Kagome.

"So your village traded your demon hunting skills for supplies?" Setsuna mused, imagining how she might sell that to academia in the future. 'Talk of them like they were mercenaries?' she thought.

"Yes," Sango nodded, "though it was more complicated than that. Our village was also built there to watch over the caves and to protect a dangerous artifact."

"The Jewel of Four Souls," Setsuna nodded, "Kagome told me about it."

"You have WHAT in your hand?" Mutsumi goggled at Miroku. "This isn't some lame attempt at a adult joke, is it?"

Miroku laughed, "No, but it's not a bad idea." He gestured with his right hand, "I have a kind of void in my hand that can suck in objects with incredible force."

"Incredible," Mutsumi shook her head, "and you're a Buddhist Monk too?"

"Well, I try," Miroku smiled wryly as the sake bottle made another round.

Kagome seemed to be feeling the alcohol a bit as she waved towards Setsuna and Mutsumi, "Y'know, I'm really glad to have met you." She hiccuped, "It's nice to finally have someone in the same situation I'm in."

Setsuna looked at the visibly drunk Kagome worriedly. "Does she drink very often?" she whispered to her.

"No, not really," Sango conceded. "We'd best keep an eye on her," she added, "Kagome is very dear to me."

Setsuna cocked a eyebrow as a slight smile teased her lips, "Oh really?"

"Not that way," Sango blushed.

"InuYasha!" Kagome leaned against him, "why are you so mean to me?"

"Ah...," InuYasha looked like he was debating pushing her away or possibly holding her up, "I don't mean to be like that, it's just my nature."

"Your nature, huh?" Kagome blinked up at him bleerily, "I guess so." With a soft sound she rested her head on his shoulder, sighing as she added, "It's not easy for me, too."

InuYasha stiffened, then he looked up at the women as he silently mouthed, "Help!"

"Sorry," Mutsumi whispered back, "you're on your own."

Sango took a drink, tossing back the sake as she looked at her twin. A bit liberated by the drink she asked quietly, "What's it like... I mean, with a woman?"

Setsuna drank too, setting the cup down with a happy sigh. "It's very enjoyable," she winked, "it lasts a lot longer, for one."

"Really," Sango blinked, obviously not having considered that idea before. Her eyes lingered on the drunken Kagome a moment, then she made herself look away.

Setsuna dropped her voice, "She is cute, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is," Sango conceded quietly, "but..."

"Ah," Setsuna nodded understandingly. They seemed to read each other's emotional cues very easily, even though they came from two different eras. She took another drink, "You know, you could see if she's interested in a threesome..."

The scandalized look on Sango's face was priceless. "She... ah... eh?!" she sputtered.

"Wow," Miroku muttered, trying to restrain his sudden nosebleed.

"Here, use this," Mutsumi passed over a cloth to help him mop up.

"Thank you," Miroku got the blood flow under control. He looked at Mutsumi thoughtfully, "Could I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Mutsumi took a drink

"What's it like," Miroku looked at her breasts meaningfully as he asked, "having your own set to play with?"

"Miroku!" Sango roared, nearly falling over as she prepared to whack him one.

"I didn't answer," Mutsumi scrambled away from her own lover.

"You were going to!" Setsuna growled as the party broke up into a wild fight.

End

Notes: The end for now, at least. Heh. Sango/Kagome? Well, they ARE very close, so I could imagine Sango being tempted.


End file.
